The Betrothal
by CaptainRaz
Summary: Éowyn reflects on the past and what might have been, Faramir shows his love and unwavering support, Éomer still will not give his permission for them to wed, and Aragorn finds it amusing to predict the future but there are some surprises in store. Please


**The Betrothal**

**Summary- Éowyn reflects on the past and what might have been, Faramir shows his love and unwavering support, Éomer still will not give his permission for them to wed, and Aragorn finds it amusing to predict the future; but there are some surprises in store. Please R&R**

**Disclaimer- I just play**

The hall was filled with the general hubbub of lots of men drinking, but one solitary woman stood alone in the corner. Éowyn looked across the room, barely seeming to notice the noise around her, for she was deep in thought. This was the funeral feast of Théoden King, and the Rohirrim custom was to celebrate the life rather than mourn, for they never missed the chance for a good drink. The hour now was quite late indeed, but the official ceremonies had ended an hour after noon; after then it was good ale that flowed instead of tears. Éowyn was occupied with none of this though, so deep was she in her reverie.

Her eyes were fixed on one man, Aragorn Elessar, newly crowned King of Gondor. He was sat drinking and joking with the other members of the now obsolete Fellowship of the Ring. The hobbits were singing bawdily and dancing on the tables, but her eyes were fixed on Aragorn. Until just recently she had sought the love of this man, and still she found it hard to let go of her past. His Queen, Arwen Úndomiel glided gracefully towards the small party and Aragorn looked up, unashamed love and tenderness breaking through the effect the ale had had on his grey eyes.

_Queen Arwen is so lucky, _thought Éowyn.

_I am a lucky woman too_ she thought as she felt a pair of familiar strong arms slide around her waist. Éowyn caught her brother's disapproving look as she turned within her captor's arms to return the embrace. Faramir caught Éowyn's lips as she turned, and stole her breath away with a brief but fiery kiss. Éowyn smiled and leaned her head against Faramir's muscled chest. No one in the room had noticed the couple save Éomer, and for that Éowyn was glad.

"You were miles away." He commented quietly.

"I wasn't complaining about the method used to bring me back to reality though." Smiled Éowyn against Faramir's tunic.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked in the same tender tone. Éowyn sighed.

"I was thinking about the past and how things could have been. What if Elessar had not shunned me? What if it were not Arwen who were Queen of Gondor, but me?" Éowyn knew she could hurt Faramir's feelings telling him this, but she could never lie to him.

"My lady, if the sun did not rise tomorrow and the day did not come, would you have wanted to have spent your last night on this earth thinking about the 'what ifs' instead of living for the present?"

"But what if…?" Éowyn trailed off as Faramir began to chuckle.

"One more 'what if' will I allow you tonight, regardless of whether the sun rise's tomorrow or not."

"What if I had never met you Faramir? What would have become of me then?" Faramir's face darkened at this question.

"I dare not think of that, my love, my heart will not allow me too." Éowyn pulled closer to Faramir's chest.

"What if Éomer never gives his consent for us to marry?" Éowyn whispered sadly.

"He will eventually, my love." Faramir's eyes sparkled and he leant down to whisper mischievously in her ear. "If not, I shall just have to take you to my bed, and then he will have to let me marry you, or you honour will be compromised."

"I cannot say that I should be complaining about the latter course of action." Whispered Éowyn just as mischievously before pulling Faramir into a passionate kiss.

They heard someone behind them clear their throat and they broke apart to find Éomer stood with his arms folded and a frown on his face. Faramir quickly dropped his arms from around Éowyn's waist and took a step backward; he knew better than to irritate Éomer. Several threats of disembowelment and worse fates rang loudly in his ears; unfortunately for Faramir the condition for this _not_ happening was staying away from Éowyn.

"Lord Faramir, King Elessar was wondering where his Steward was. He wishes to have a word with you." Éomer's tone was cold and deliberate. Faramir bowed and walked off, grateful for an excuse to avoid Éomer when he was looking so prone to violence, especially as he had one or two drinks; Éomer was known to have a particularly bad temper on him when alcohol coursed through him, and nothing angered him more than men taking advantage of his sister. When he had left, Éomer fixed his sister with a serious look.

"I do not approve of your conduct with the Lord Faramir, and I will not allow you to behave like a common tavern wench." Éowyn began to protest but Éomer cut her off. "I mean it Éowyn, behaviour like that with a man to who you are not married is not acceptable." Éomer, taking that to be the last word began to walk off, but Éowyn had more to say, and followed him.

"But if you would just give your consent for him to wed me…" Éowyn looked close to tears, and Éowyn in tears was a rare occurrence indeed. "I love him Éomer, how is it that you cannot see that?" Éomer held his hand up to silence her, but did not say anything more. The two were now stood near the high table and Éomer motioned for his sister to remain where she was. Éomer stood up to the table and rang a discarded spoon against his empty goblet, the sound of which miraculously brought the room to silence. Faramir, now sat next to his King, wondered what in Arda was going on, and whether he should be running or not.

"_Now this is the funeral feast of Théoden the King; but I will speak ere we go of tidings of joy, for he would not grudge that I do so, since he ever was a father to Éowyn my sister_." Many of the guests were puzzled then, not least Faramir, and Éowyn who stood in the shadows; but Éomer continued. "_Hear then all my guests, fair folk of many realms, such as have never before been gathered in this hall! Faramir, Steward of Gondor, and Prince of Ithilien, asks that Éowyn Lady of Rohan should be his wife, and she grants it full willing. Therefore they shall be trothplighted before you all_."

Éomer turned then and took the hand of his sister to draw her out of the shadows, but Faramir did not move, so stunned was he. Aragorn nudged him in the knee, and he rose to meet the King of Rohan. Éowyn bore a cup, the same one with which Éomer had been proclaimed King earlier in the day. Her face was smiling with joy as she spoke.

"I offer thee this cup, and bid thee drink. And I call you lord and husband for so I grant that thou shalt be." Faramir took the cup and held it aloft, and looking into Éowyn's eyes he found he knew what to say.

"This cup I take from thee, who call me husband. And in return I shall call you wife, for it is my desire that you shall be bound to me in marriage." Then Faramir drained the cup and set it upon the table. Then Éomer stepped forward and took each of their hands and placed them together before him.

"These hands I bind in troth, even as these two people are bound in heart. As Lord I grant thee thy Lady's hand, and as brother I bless thy union." Then Éomer stepped back leaving the pair holding hands as the hall erupted in cheers and toasts to their joy. Éomer shouted above the cheering to bring the room back to quiet.

"_Thus," said Éomer "is the friendship of the Mark and of Gondor bound with a new bond, and the more do I rejoice." _

"_No niggard are you, Éomer," said Aragorn_ to the amusement of the others "_to give thus to Gondor the fairest thing in your realm!"_ Éowyn blushed at the compliment, but she knew what she had to do to rid herself entirely of the past. She met his gaze, and she held it.

"_Wish me joy, my liege-lord and healer!"_

"_I have wished thee joy ever since first I saw thee. It heals my heart to see thee now in bliss."_ Éowyn smiled broadly and turned to look at Faramir, whose hand was still entwined in hers. "Just make sure that my Steward behaves himself."

"I will, my Lord." And Éowyn pulled Faramir to her in a powerful kiss, and Éomer did not try to stop them. When the pulled apart, breathless, Faramir's eyes sparkled with emotion.

"So my betrothed, have you any more 'what ifs' for me tonight?" he asked quietly in her ear.

"One, what if you don't kiss me again?" She asked mischievously.

"I do not wish to find out." Said Faramir kissing his bride-to-be once more. Éomer stepped up behind them and whispered in Faramir's ear when they broke apart.

"Just bear in mind that you are not wed yet, and that I may still disembowel you if I find your behaviour to be inappropriate!" the threat was obviously meant in light jest, and there was a smile on Éomer's face as he said it.

"I shall just have to ensure that you do not find any inappropriate behaviour then won't I." laughed Faramir. Éomer punched him lightly on the arm and went to rejoin the feast, which was now drawing to a close. Faramir looked at Éowyn who smiled at him.

"Eow agan min heorte ond eow agan min lufu." Said Éowyn, uncertain of whether Faramir would understand. In reply, Faramir pulled her close and whispered in her ear.

"Ic lufian eow." Éowyn smiled and stole one last kiss from her husband-to-be, before slipping off to bed.

Faramir stood watching after her, not quite able to believe that Éomer had finally given consent for them to wed; he could not imagine living his life without Éowyn at his side, as his wife. He shrugged contentedly, and retired himself.

Aragorn stood looking at his Steward's retreating back, glad that at last Faramir had found happiness, and glad indeed that Éowyn had found the same; they really were perfect for each other. He took a sip from his glass and turned his gaze to the King of Rohan, who was apparently entertaining himself with yet another argument with the Princess of Dol Amroth. Aragorn chuckled quietly.

"What amuses you so?" asked a melodic voice. Aragorn turned and smiled at his wife.

"Just a feeling… but I think that Faramir's and Éowyn's wedding may not be the only one on the horizon."

Eow agan min heorte ond eow agan min lufu- you have my heart and you have my love

Ic lufian eow- I love you

Translations by Lirima Tindomiel and shamefully stolen from "Far From The Home I Love"


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